At the end of every dinner out, there's the question - how much should I tip? For years, if you've eaten with a big group, restaurants have tacked on automatic gratuities. But Eric Hanson explains why those auto-tips are disappearing. MEET THE WHOLE GANG AT YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT AND YOUR EYES MIGHT LAND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE MENU. 20 PERCENT GRATUITY AUTOMATICAL LY ADDED TO GROUPS. And it's extra work to keep all the orders in line. SOME CUSTOMERS HATE IT. BUT FOR SERVERS? I look at it as a failsafe. IT'S INSURANCE THEY WON'T GET STIFFED ON A BIG BILL. I like to try to earn that much anyways just through good service but it doesn't always work out that way. People don't always see it that way. BUT THIS MONTH, MOST RESTAURANTS ARE DROPPING AUTO GRATUITY. WHY? The government doesn't recognize it as a tip. THE I-R-S SAYS STARTING JANUARY FIRST, A TIP HAS TO BE COMPLETELY VOLUNTARY. 'ANYTHING' ADDED TO THE BILL BY THE RESTAURANT NOW LANDS ON A SERVER'S MONTHLY PAYCHECK. NOT TAKE HOME MONEY AT THE END OF THE NIGHT. FOR SERVERS, THAT'S A BIG CHANGE. I can see the downside to it but it's out of my hands. INSTEAD, MOST RESTAURANTS ARE GOING TO ADD TIP SUGGESTIONS TO THE BILL. HERE'S WHAT 15 PERCENT WOULD BE.. OR 18 PERCENT OR 20 PERCENT. RESTAURANTE URS KNOW THE CHANGE IS RISKIER FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES. If the guest chooses not to leave the appropriate amount or anything at all, that can severely hurt the server. My hourly wage isn't going to pay my bills. My tips are what pay my bills. And because of that, I like to give good service. AND THEY'RE HOPING THE NEXT TIME YOU PACK 'EM IN FOR A NIGHT OUT, YOU'LL RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT MADE THE EVENING POSSIBLE. I like to see people happy when they walk out the door. ERIC HANSON, KCCI 8 NEWS, IOWA'S NEWS LEADER. Automatic gratuities are still legal, they're just more of a hassle for restaurants. So look carefully at your check before